Portable torch



Au 4, 1964 w. L. LINDGREN PORTABLE TORCH 2 SheQts-Sheet 1 Filed July 6, 1962 2 3 0 H g m x 0 3 .H a Z a u/ a g 2 P w u\ I h m a 6 m w. m 0/ 6 B 43 0 Z a q.

A TTORNE YS 1964 w. L. LINDGR'EN 3,143,107

PORTABLE 'roacn Filed July 6, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 'W/W/Um L. Lino'gren T ORNE YS United States Patent 3,143,107 PORTABLE TORCH William L. Lindgren, Sycamore, 111., assignor to Turner Corporation, Sycamore, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Italy 6, 1962, Ser. No. 208,074 3 Claims. (Cl. 126271.2)

This invention relates generally to a portable torch and more specifically to a gas torch characterized by a special bracket construction adapted to be located at the top of a fuel tank and including a rigid hanger offset in one direction on one side of the tank and a vertically upstanding reversely bent belt clip offset laterally in an opposite direction on the opposite side of the tank whereby an apertured handle may be carried on the hanger with the torch burner head depending therefrom into a safe position on the lower outside portion of the tank.

In gas torch constructions, a burner head is usually provided to insure proper mixture of a fuel with combustionsupporting air and also to form a flame for direction to a point of utilization. Such torches are frequently required to be carried by users when ascending or descending ladders or when moving about from one point of utilization to another. Thus, it is contemplated by the present invention to provide a special support bracket whereby the tank of fuel together with the torch assembly may be conveniently suspended by a belt clip from the belt of the user, thereby rendering the torch construction particularly portable.

Further, in accordance with the principles of the present invention a special hanger is offset from the bracket in a direction opposite from the offset direction of the belt clip and on the opposite side of the fuel tank. Thus, an apertured handle provided for the torch may be carried on the hanger. The burner head, which, in use, may be elevated to dangerously high temperatures, thus depends into a safe position on the lower outside portion of the tank whenever the user desires to temporarily store the burner head during transit from one area to another. In such safe position, the hot burner head will not engage against the exposed forearm or Wrist of the user, as would occur when the burner head is carried in an upright position.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved portable torch construction.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved carrying and storage arrangement for a portable torch which has improved safety factors and which specifically insures that the hot burner head will not be positioned to engage against the exposed appendages of the user.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved bracket construction whereby a tank and torch assembly may be suspended from the belt of a user and the torch and handle of the assembly may be suspended from a hanger on the bracket.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment of a portable torch incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view with parts broken away and with parts shown in cross-section illustrating 3,143,167 Patented Aug. 4., 1964 an improved portable torch incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the improved bracket sub-assembly provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the bracket of FIG- URE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an assembly view showing the portable torch of the present invention in actual usage and illustrating the improved safety storage feature.

As shown on the drawings:

Although the principles of the present invention are of general applicability, a particularly useful application thereof is made to a portable propane torch which is adapted to be utilized in conjunction with a tank of propane fuel sometimes referred to as a liquefied petroleum gas. A typical tank construction of the so-called throwaway type container is illustrated in FIGURE 4 wherein a tank is shown generally at 10 and includes upper and lower portions 11 and 12, respectively, joined at a center seam 13 and carrying a foot ring 14 at the lower end thereof.

At the top of the tank is provided an outlet fitting 16 to which may be connected a tap connection for utiliza tion of the fuel contained within the tank 10 by an appropriate propane appliance.

The tap connection is shown generally at 17 and includes an internally threaded cup-shaped member 18 from which extends a pusher pin 19 which engages the usual tire valve located in the outlet fitting 16 of the tank 10 for admitting gaseous fuel into the tap connection 17 for control by a valve having an actuating handle rotatably adjusted and shown at 20.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a special bracket construction is provided which is adapted to be located at the top of the tank 10 and which may be conveniently connected to the tap connection 17 and specifically around the outside of the generally cupshaped portion thereof.

Referring specifically to FIGURES 2 and 3, the bracket construction is shown generally at 21 and includes first and second U-shaped members 22 and 23 each having a semi-circular bight portion 24 and oppositely extending foot portions 26 suitably apertured to pass fastening screws shown at 27.

A hanger member shown generally at 28 extends laterally from one side of the neck clamp formed by the U- shaped members 22 and 23. More specifically, the hanger member 28 includes an upstanding body portion 29 which may be apertured to pass one of the screw fasteners 27 and which has extending laterally therefrom an outwardly projecting prong portion 30 which is returned as at 31 and which terminates in an offset rounded end portion 32.

The apertured body portion 23 may be conveniently inserted between the confronting foot portions 26 and a nut 33 is then fastened on the appropriate screw fastener 27, thereby locking the hanger member 28 in firm asembly with the bracket 21.

At the opposite side of the closed circular loop formed by the interfitted U-shaped members 22 and 23, there is provided a belt clip member shown generally at 34. The clip member 34 has a flat body portion 36 which is apertured to pass a corresponding fastener member 27 and which may be inserted between two confronting foot portions 26 whereupon a corresponding nut member 53 is aware? J screw-threaded on the screw fastener 27 and locked in firm assembly with the hanger 21.

The body portion 36 of the clip member 34 is twisted as at 37, thereby to dispose the same in a different plane, whereupon the clip member is offset at approximately 90 at 38 and includes a leg 39 extending vertically upwardly. The leg 39 is reversely bent as at 4%) thereby to form a loop 41 and the reversely bent portion extends to form a leg 42 which is spaced from the leg 39 and terminates in a gently curved end portion 43 spaced from the 90 offset portion 38 to form a belt clip mouth 44.

The circular neck clamp formed by the U-shaped members 22 and 23 is sized to snugly engage the tap connection l7 and thus the clip member 34 is offset laterally in such a direction as to be disposed on one side of the tank 10, while the hanger member 28 extends laterally in an opposite direction and on the opposite side of the tank 10.

A lead-in conduit 46 is connected by a nipple coupling 47 to the tap connection 1'7. A flexible conduit 48 is then connected to the lead-in conduit 46 as at 49. It will be understood that the flexible conduit 48 is of sufficient length to allow free manipulation of the torch by a user within an extensive area of utilization.

At the end of the flexible conduit 48, there is provided a rigid conduit means shown generally at 50. First of all, the rigid conduit means 50 includes a coupling member 51 having a series of stepped conical portions 52 which are insertable into the center bore 53 of the flexible conduit 48. A rigid sleeve 54 on the outside of the flexible conduit 48 thus retains the flexible conduit 48 in firm assembly with the coupling member 51.

The rigid conduit means further includes an enlarged pistol-grip handle shown generally at 56, a through passage being formed in the handle 56. The handle 56 may conveniently comprise a suitable plastic material having good molding characteristics and is preferably configured into the form of a pistol-grip configuration for ready grasping by the hand of the user so that the torch may be conveniently manipulated in actual usage.

The coupling member 51 extends into one end of the handle 56 and a rigid tube 57 extends into the other end of the handle 56. A plug 58 rotatably threaded into a socket 59 carried by the end of the handle 56 facilitates locking the tube 57 in firm assembly in the end of the handle 55.

The rigid tube 57 may be offset as at 58, thereby to angularly position a burner head shown generally at 60 in a proper attitude for convenient utilization. The end of the rigid tube 58 is threaded as at 59 and a passage 61 extends through the tube 58 for carrying fuel to the burner head. In usage, the actual flame appears at the end 62 of the burner head 60.

In accordance wth the principles of the present invention, the lower end of the handle 56, as shown at 63, is particularly characterized by an aperture or eye 64 sized to receive the hanger 28. Thus, the end portion 32 of the hanger 23 passes completely through the aperture or eye 64 and the handle 56 will be supported in the recessed portion 31. So positioned, the handle 56 will depend from the hanger 28 and the rigid tube 58 together with the burner head 60 will extend into a safe position on the lower outside of the tank as illustrated in FIG- URE 4.

The hook or clip 34 is ofiset sufiiciently to facilitate ready engagement with a belt 65 encircling the waist of a user as shown in FIGURE 4. Accordingly, the tank 10 is illustrated as being suspended from the belt clip 34 and the handle is shown carried on the hanger 28, thereby positioning the burner head 60 on the outside of the tank 10 near the lowermost portion thereof. By so providing a safe storage position for the burner head 69, the user is protected against inadvertently engaging the hot burner head against exposed appendages such as the exposed part of his forearm or wrist.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon, all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A portable torch comprising,

a burner head,

rigid conduit means forming a fuel passage con nected to said burner head and including an enlarged pistol grip handle surrounding said fuel passage for grasping and manipulation by a user,

a fuel tank,

a flexible conduit means connected to said tank at one end and connected to said rigid conduit means at one end of said pistol grip handle remote from said burner head,

a bracket at the top of said fuel tank including a rigid hanger extending laterally in one direction on one side of the tank, and a vertically upstanding reversely-bent belt clip offset laterally in an opposite direction on the opposite side of the tank,

said handle having a hanger aperture formed therein adjacent said one end to receive said hanger,

whereby said fuel tank may be suspended from the belt of a user and said handle may be carried on said hanger with said burner head depending therefrom into a safe position on the lower outside portion of the tank.

2. A portable liquefied petroleum gas torch comprising,

a tap connection for a portable throw-away liquid petroleum gas cylinder,

a rigid gas flow tube bent at an obtuse angle,

a torch burner head connected at the end of said rigid gas flow tube,

a handle for holding and mainpulating said torch burner head surrounding the other end of said rigid gas flow tube,

a flexible conduit flow-connecting said tap connection and said tube,

valve means in said tap connection for controlling the flow of fluid therethrough,

a bracket including a neck clamp connected to said tap connection at the top of a cylinder attached thereto,

said bracket having a belt clip member offset from one side of said clamp by means of which said bracket and the cylinder attached thereto may be suspended from the belt of a user, said bracket further including a hanger member offset from the opposite side of said clamp, and an aperture eye formed in said handle at one end thereof remote from said torch burner head for receiving said hanger and by means of which said torch burner head depends into a safe position opposite the lower outside portion of the cylinder.

3. A portable gas torch comprising,

a burner head,

rigid conduit means connected to said burner head,

a pistol-grip handle having a top end connected to said rigid conduit means and having a flow-continuing passage extending therethrough,

said handle having a coupling member at the lower end thereof,

a fuel tank,

a flexible conduit means interconnecting said coupling member at the lower end of said handle and said fuel tank,

a bracket at the top of said fuel tank including a hanger offset laterally on one side of the tank and a vertically upstanding, reversely-bent belt clip offset laterally on the opposite side of the tank, said handle having a hanger aperture formed therein atthe lower end of said handle to receive said hanger,

whereby said fuel tank may be suspended from the belt Of a ser y Said belt clip and said handle may be carried on said hanger with said burner head depending there- 2,520,591

from into a safe position on the lower outside portion of 2,962,020

the tank. 3,029,807

References Cited in the file of this patent 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 384 755 887,743 Storm May 12, 1908 564,910

6 Wilrnarth Aug. 29, 1950 Hunter et a1. Nov. 29, 1960 Webster Apr. 17, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS France Feb. 14, 1908 France Oct. 31, 1923 

1. A PORTABLE TORCH COMPRISING, A BURNER HEAD, RIGID CONDUIT MEANS FORMING A FUEL PASSAGE CONNECTED TO SAID BURNER HEAD AND INCLUDING AN ENLARGED PISTOL GRIP HANDLE SURROUNDING SAID FUEL PASSAGE FOR GRASPING AND MANIPULATION BY A USER, A FUEL TANK, A FLEXIBLE CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TANK AT ONE END AND CONNECTED TO SAID RIGID CONDUIT MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID PISTOL GRIP HANDLE REMOTE FROM SAID BURNER HEAD, 